Justice League: Resurrection
by JenaCarlson
Summary: ***Don't read if you haven't seen Batman V Superman...spoilers*** Kyla Renner is the sole Kryptonian left after Doomsday wreaks havoc on Metropolis and Gotham City. With the death of her friend Superman, she must now find the man and woman at his funeral who suspect something evil is just over the horizon. Does she carry on Superman's legacy or stay in the shadows?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Kyla stared at the tall man and woman talking under a tree. Other than the wind rustling through the trees, their conversation was the only sound in the cemetery. She didn't know who they were, but Kyla knew they were two important people in Clark's life. A large mound of fresh dirt awaited its return to the earth as Lois Lane stepped away from the hole.

"I've failed him... in life. I won't fail him in death. Help me find the others like you," the man said.

"Perhaps they don't want to be found," the woman replied, arms crossing her chest.

"They will. And they'll fight. We have to stand together."

The woman, a brunette with a middle eastern accent, stood relaxed next to the man. Her beauty was delicate with a dormant ferocity behind it.

"A hundred years ago I walked away from mankind - from a century of horrors. Man made a world where standing together is impossible."

A hundred years ago? Kyla's math wasn't great, but the woman was far younger looking than a century. Was she immortal?

"Men are still good. We fight. We kill. We betray one another. But we can rebuild. We can do better. We will. We have to," the man whispered.

"The others like me. Why did you say they'll have to fight?" the woman asked.

"Just a feeling," the man looked off in the distance, past Clark's grave.

The foreboding tone in his voice didn't rest well with Kyla. He knew more than he let on, but she got the feeling that even he didn't know how to define it. Without another word, the woman gave him a sullen look and walked away. He adjusted his coat collar and followed her.

The little cemetery sat on a small plot of land beyond the plethora of corn and wheat fields against the Kansas horizon. It was too bad that Clark would lie to rest in a little town while the rest of the world mourned him in the capital with the pomp and circumstance of a presidential parade. She imagined a horse drawn coffin carriage covered by a flag, soldiers lined up along the streets, and people dabbing their eyes as trumpets or bagpipes played. The world had known him as Superman, a god-like being who'd sacrificed himself to save the world from an abomination...a monster. To Kyla, he was Clark. A friend.

Without Clark around, Kyla wasn't sure if staying at the Kent farm was the best thing for her anymore. Sure, she loved being around Martha and helping out with daily duties, but Clark was the thread that held it all together. She had no more ties to the Kent family.

Martha Kent sat on the edge of her bed and blotted her eyes with a wad of tissue. Kyla was surprised she had any tears left. It broke her heart to hear Ma Kent's sobs every night leading up to Clark's funeral. Kyla admired her though. Here sat a woman who'd lost her husband almost 20 years ago, and she'd laid her son to rest just hours ago. How did she keep going? How had she not fallen apart and given up? Kyla premised that the news she was about to deliver to Martha would be another burden to add to her emotional cart. She couldn't lie to her, pretend to be happy, or act like she felt normal in that house anymore. Clark's death had stripped her of anything normal.

"Martha?" Kyla leaned against the door arch.

The grieving woman turned to her with despairing eyes, red with tears peeking at each corner, and smiled.

"Yes, dear."

A lump rose in Kyla's throat. She hated to do this to a woman who'd taken her in and loved her like her own daughter, but the grief in the house had suffocated Kyla. She had to get out from underneath it before she drowned.

"Martha, I...I can't stay. I need to go away for a little while. Clear my head."

She expected Martha to break down into another fit of sobs, but the woman's smile never faltered. She stood, walked over to her, and took Kyla's face in her warm hands.

"I understand, Ky. Take all the time you need. You know you have a place here."

Bewildered by her response, Kyla could only stare back into the shorter woman's hazel eyes. She hadn't expected that reply. Surely the woman wanted to protest, beg her to stay, plead her case for Kyla not to leave, but Martha kissed her on the cheek and walked out of the room. This pained her with more guilt. Was she deserting Clark's mother when she needed someone the most?

Even though she'd been there for six months, Kyla never felt at home on the Kent Farm. So many memories had preceded her, and there were none for her to contribute. If Clark had been there, he'd have done everything to convince Kyla to stay, and maybe she would have. But he was gone.

Kyla packed what little she had, and before she could take the first step out of the front door, Martha stopped her in the hallway.

"Ky. Before you leave, I thought you should have this." She held a rectangular box wrapped in navy blue paper with a black bow cascading over the top. "Clark was waiting to give this to you on your birthday, but I thought you should have it now. He would've wanted you to have it in this case."

Her birthday was a week away, and they'd made plans to have a small party in the backyard. It would've been her first party…ever.

"You can keep it. I'll get it when I come back."

Ignoring Kyla, Martha handed the box to her.

"Ky, dear. I have a feeling you're not coming back. I think Clark would be very disappointed if you didn't take this. He made it specifically for you. I certainly have no use for it."

Begrudgingly, Kyla took the box from Mrs. Kent and kissed her on the forehead.

"Thank you, Martha. You gave me the best six months of my life. Clark was really lucky to have you as his mom. I wish I'd been so lucky."

"But you were." Martha gently grasped Kyla's forearm. "I see you as the daughter I never had. Clark was very fond of you, which makes you my family, too. You always have a home here. Never forget that."

Kyla grinned at her and tucked the box inside her backpack. With one last glance, she looked at the graying woman and stepped outside. The Kansas air smelled fresh and new, despite the sadness that drifted across the fields. The wind tickled the tree branches, and she half expected Clark to burst from the sky and land in front of her revealing it had all been a prank, but the wind was her only companion in the yard. As a fitting goodbye, she closed her eyes and soared up into the sky. Any other day she would've walked or ran to her destination, but flying off into the clouds seemed like a proper tribute.

As she drifted above the clouds, the memory of the first time Clark had taught her to fly echoed across the canopy. She had held onto him as he shot up from the surface of the earth. The wind roared past her ears as they climbed high into orbit. She hadn't believed Clark when he said she could fly, too.

"Look, Ky." He motioned her to look at the white horizon. "You've bound yourself to your human limitations. This is what it means to be free."

Kyla hadn't wanted to open her eyes. She clung to him like a frightened little girl despite being two years older than him. She didn't have the benefit of a coach as a child, but then again, neither had Clark. Kyla wondered what it had been like for him the first time he'd seen someone's insides with his x-ray sight, the first time his heat vision bore through an object, or when he obliterated an object accidentally with his strength. She imagined he'd been terrified like her, but for Clark, he always had the Kents to support and nurture him. Kyla had to suppress everything, hide herself from the world. She'd had nobody.

When she opened her eyes, she would never forget what the sky looked like that day. The sun shown with a fierce yellow radiance. The air was crisp and cool. The serenity of the silence instantly calmed her. Clouds drifted by, paying them no attention, and a soft breeze rifled through her black hair.

"See?" He chuckled.

Kyla tilted her head back and closed her eyes. She wanted to encapsulate the moment and cherish it. In an instant, she felt gravity working against her, and the sense of falling made her eyes shoot open. Clark had let her go. The sound of her screams got caught up in the wind soaring past her eardrums. Her arms and legs flailed in every direction as she reached out for something to hold onto.

A red and blue blur rocketed down past her, and as she turned to look at the ground, Clark stared up at her with a huge smile on his face as he dropped along with her. She reached out for him, but he moved out of her grasp.

"Don't be afraid. You and I both know you'll be fine. Just think about what you want your body to do and where to go."

"Are you insane?" she yelled. "You just dropped me."

The farthest she'd ever been skyward had been the height of a three story building. She feared that if she couldn't do what Clark wanted, something like a small crater would be left in the earth below.

"Come on. You can do it."

The earth came at her in a rush, and her arms flew up in front of her face as she braced for the impact. When her body and the ground met, ripples bounced across the surface of the landscape. Chunks of earth exploded into the air, and Kyla got a taste of how an asteroid must've felt. Although she felt no pain, her pride was definitely hurt.

"I can't believe you just let me fall like that." She hissed at him through gritted teeth.

"Relax. You're fine. If it makes you feel better, the same thing happened to me." He knelt down next to her. "So get up and try again. I got the hang of it after a few tries. You will, too."

Kyla rolled her eyes at him.

"Watch." Clark pressed his fists to the ground, and the dirt rumbled around them. "Think about the largest leap you've ever taken and reach past it. Try focusing your energy behind you, get it to drive you forward...and just jump."

Clark exploded into the air, and a sonic boom followed him as he flew into the clouds, his red cape flapping behind him.

"Well, I certainly won't look as cool as that," she mumbled as she replicated Clark's actions.

Kyla closed her eyes, searched within the confines of her memories to when she leapt across the ground on days she felt brave. The fear that held her down had to be snuffed out, or she would never be able to succeed at this. She felt electricity flow through her, and the ground below her tremored as if it feared her fury. Kyla took a deep breath and pushed off.

She soared into the clouds higher than she'd ever done on her own, but as soon as she thought about gravity, she felt her body sink in the air.

"Keep thinking about the energy and where you want it to take you," Clark said. "You have the power here, not it."

As she fell, she reached down and found the anger she'd fed upon for the past three and a half decades. She was tired of hiding in the shadows and suppressing the gifts she'd been given. A roar bellowed from her throat, and she discovered she was no longer falling… but floating.

"I told you that you'd get the hang of it. It's in your blood." Clark appeared next to her with his staple grin and arms crossed. "Now, let's see what you can really do."

He took off with lightning speed across the sky, and Kyla knew it was her cue to follow. She outstretched her arms and sped after him. Having released the chains that held her down, fear lost its war, and she found herself doing twists and turns over water, mountains, and forests. The exhilaration made her drunk with joy.

"How do you make those sharp turns and not flop around in the wind like me?" she asked.

"Honestly, it's the suit and cape. It really helps with the air dynamics."

She frowned, "You're kidding. No way I'm putting on that ridiculous thing. Spandex with some blanket tucked in the back is not my thing, Clark. I'll just deal with it, I guess."

Clark's eyebrow raised.

"You know, Ky, this suit was worn by our people as a symbol of respect and regality. It shows the house of which you belong. The symbol means more than just the family of El. It means hope. Neither one of us knew our father, but what I got from mine was a need to do the right thing."

"Well, I'm glad you gleamed a good moral code from your father, but mine never once laid eyes on me. I only learned rejection."

Anger bubbled through her veins as she thought about her father, Shor-Ryo and his secret but brief love affair with her mother. She'd been two years old when Jacinda Mok-Alor sent her away from Krypton. Not one day had Shor-Ryo come to visit her before her departure.

"Kyla, there's a strong possibility that he didn't even know you existed."

"Give me a break, Clark. You don't even know _me_ that well. How could you say that? You didn't know him either, so you can't speak for him."

He placed a hand on her shoulder, "I see a lot of myself in you. I see that anger, the loneliness, the feeling of being lost, dissatisfied. I get it, Ky. I was there. Think about all the stuff you're capable of doing. Don't squander it. Use it. I'm so glad you found me, and I'm sorry I wasn't there your whole life." He stared into her eyes, and she thought that his heat vision would sear them out of their sockets.

"I'm not you. I'm nothing like you. I have no interest in this hero business you do. That's not me. I don't want the torches and pitchforks. For heaven's sakes, Clark, you're in the middle of witch hunt right now. John Q. Public wants to hang you out to dry."

Clark sighed, "It's not about that, Ky. It's about doing what's right. Knowing all the stuff you can do, don't you want to do something with it?"

"No."

The look of confusion on Clark's face amused her. Why couldn't he understand that she wanted no part of the public eye?

"I don't believe that. Not for one second. Sure, it can feel like a burden sometimes, but I can't help but think about the lives I've saved. Those people would be dead had I not been able to step in. That's gotta mean something."

Kyla floated away from his grasp and turned her back to him.

"Look, Clark. You do you, and I'll do me. It's cool and all what you do, and you're a saint for it, but that's just not for me."

He sighed, but no words came afterward. She looked over her shoulder at him. His blue eyes gazed off in the distance. Kyla was glad mindreading hadn't been blessed upon her, as she didn't want to know what he thought.

She'd never forget that look though. The memory of his taut jaw, hopeful eyes, and confident smile haunted her as she stared out into the open all by herself. She missed him. She missed being accepted no matter who she was... or wasn't.

Clark had saved her life, not in the physical sense, but in the everything sense. Kyla had walked the country back and forth with no goals, no ambition, and no desire but to be invisible. Now, she had to look to the future without Clark, and the first thing on her agenda was to find out who the man and woman were at his funeral. They knew of an evil looming on the horizon, and she didn't want to be alone when it came.

The monster, whom the press had deemed as Doomsday, had been the most frightening spectacle she'd ever seen. Even Zod and his World Engines had not shaken her that much. Seeing the first reports of Clark's death instantly made her regret telling him not to involve her with his hero stuff. Granted, she couldn't have foreseen what was on the horizon, but she felt a heavy guilt, nonetheless. She could've helped him, and maybe he wouldn't have died.

Kyla wondered if Martha held any resentment toward her for not jumping in to help Clark that day. Then again, maybe she understood why as she watched society tear Superman apart for being who he was. No pressure from anyone could outweigh the regret she felt. Hiding behind cowardice did Clark's legacy a disservice.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The streets of Metropolis buzzed with busy commuters, blaring car horns, and construction crews rebuilding from the Doomsday and General Zod aftermaths. Kyla had stayed away from majorly populated areas to avoid being detected, so there were less opportunities for people to be nosy and discover her secret. On the other hand, she needed to see how the public saw Superman. She needed to see how Superman saw them.

The family seal was plastered everywhere. The "S," encapsulated in a diamond on a black background, flew on flags, banners, posters, and lied on any reachable flat surface. Just weeks ago, this same society was ready to hang him, but their unity in mourning his death took away the sting of her grief.

For the past two weeks, she'd been hesitant to visit the world's final resting place for him. Somehow seeing it would set it in stone and make it final, and she wasn't sure if she was ready to finally accept it. Having only known him just short of two years, Kyla felt a lifelong connection to him.

She looked out over Superman Memorial Park, located in the center of the city and glimpsed a solemn gathering of onlookers. Along the cityscape, Metropolis looked as though its resurrection was well underway. Clark loved this city, but she couldn't understand why. Maybe one day she could rationalize his thinking but only living in his shoes could open that window. Kyla wasn't sure she was ready or willing to be Superman 2.0.

A flat, black granite structure, stretching out fifty yards in all directions, emblazened the large, silver shield symbol. Flowers and trinkets lied in heaps around it, and written below in faded white paint were the words "If you seek his monument, look around you." A pain in Kyla's chest throbbed as she choked back a whimper. It was one of the most spectacular tributes she'd ever seen, and it pained her to know that Clark would never get to see it.

It broke her heart sometimes to sit and watch the news with him when a political pundit or some anti-Superman nut spat vitriol about him. The look on his face saddened her. His head would drop in defeat, a sigh would escape his lips, or he would cast a stoic stare back at the screen. She couldn't imagine being in his shoes doing the amazing things he did only to get mocked and slighted for it.

"I wish you were here, Clark," she whispered.

Kyla knelt down and ran her hand across the silver plated shield of the House of El. People strolled around the symbol and watched in silence. An occasional sniffle or sob could be heard over the lingering crowd. As she stood, she took in the faces of each person gazing upon the memorial. Women blotted tears from the corners of their eyes. Men stared with indeterminable reservation. Children ran and played in the grass, aloof to the price that was paid so they could do that very thing. She hoped they were grateful as Kyla was. Had Clark not defeated the creature, it was almost certain the earth would've fallen to its wrath.

Feeling thirsty, she made her way into an internet cafe where she grabbed a large soda and snack to refuel her. She sat down at an empty computer and surfed the net as she nursed the carbonated beverage. Kyla sifted through news sites, celebrity gossip, and political propaganda blurbs when she saw a familiar face. Nearly spitting the drink all over the keyboard, she sat up straight and clicked on the article blaring across the screen.

"Bruce Wayne to fund new memorial projects for Superman in Metropolis and Gotham City."

His professional demeanor, tailored blue suit, and playboy smirk glared back at her. He had been that man in the cemetery. Bruce Wayne...CEO of Wayne Industries.

"Wow, Clark, you had friends in high places," she mumbled.

After spending a solid hour researching Wayne, she could find no connection to the woman standing with him in the cemetery. The only women she could connect Wayne to were his fly-by-night girlfriends or playthings. She never suspected the woman to be romantically linked to him, but she couldn't assume anything at this point. Kyla needed to pay Bruce Wayne a visit, but first she had to prepare. It was unlikely he would take an appointment with someone claiming to be Clark's friend. Surely Wayne had plenty of gatekeepers to prevent nutjobs from gaining an audience with him. She would have to surprise him, but she'd have to have proof first. To him, she could just be another one of the meta-humans walking around. Just another threat. She would have to convince him she was one of the people he was looking for. One to fight alongside with, not against.

Kyla hadn't visited her spaceship's crash site in over twenty years. It lie deep in the uninhabited woods on the Canadian-United States border. The Kryptonian ship, buried fifty feet below the surface, would have answers to her questions. She'd long forgotten the contents of the information diaries stored in the ship's database. The last time she'd listened to them, she'd been eleven years old. So the ship wouldn't be found by wandering hunters, Kyla buried it deep in the permafrost.

She plunged her fist into the cold surface, and the earth gave way with each punch. Within moments, the surface of her Kryptonian spacecraft peeked through the dirt. After digging it up, a monstrous hole surrounded the small aircraft. Kyla presented the Kryptonian key of her mother's house, and a small door opened. The smell of earth and mold filled her nostrils as she crawled in.

Kyla wiped the dust and shooed away various insects skittering across the control panel. She hoped the ship still had enough power, and, to her delight, it came to life when she ran her fingertips across the digital screen.  
"Kyla Shor-Ryo, daughter of the Houses of Ryo and Alor. You have been granted access," the computer chirped.

"Kelex, please run ship diagnostics."

"All functions normal, Kyla."

She felt odd being addressed by her Kryptonian name. Renner had been her name of choice for the past three decades, as she wanted nothing to do with her birth father. But after talking to Clark, she entertained the possibility his absence being involuntary and her anger misplaced.

"Kelex, please run all audio files recorded by Jacinda Mok-Alor."

"Accessing File 1 of 23."

Her mother's voice spoke to her with such clarity that it felt like she was in the room with Kyla. Jacinda spoke of Kyla's birth, the circumstances leading up to it, and other personal information she'd obsessed about for the past three decades. As Kelex played each file, Kyla took notes of any details that seemed of importance, but most of the recordings were of her mother's sentimentalness or mindless blabbing. As she waited for the last file to play, only silence played through the speakers.

"Kelex, please play file 23."

"I am sorry, Kyla. You do not have proper credentials for access. Please provide passcode."

She scratched her chin. What in the world could be the password, and why had her mother protected it? Kyla rattled off random words that she felt appropriate, but each time Kelex responded with a denial. She skimmed over her notes and looked for key phrases or words, but nothing stuck out to her. After she replayed the previous 22 files, she sighed in frustration.

"Why is it so hard just to get some redemption?" she asked.

"File 23, access granted."

Kyla stared dumbfounded as her mother's voice played over the speakers. Redemption? How odd she would pick that word, she thought.

"My dearest Kyla. I struggled with whether I should create this message for you, and that is why I have protected it. I'm afraid I haven't been honest with you. I'm certain you've listened to my messages a thousand times about your father and how you came to be, but you must do away with that information. Kyla, I'm sorry. Your father and I have a grand love affair before he met his wife. You were a product of that short, glorious era. Yes, I've told you this before, but what I didn't tell you was, that your birth was considered treason in the Kryptonian culture. The council decided a millennium ago that Kryptonian children should be artificially bred specially for tasks, duties, jobs, and lifestyles. We were sucking the life from the planet with overpopulation and natural resource harvesting, so any children were...were...farmed for families approved by the council. Due to so much gene manipulation, the generations afterwards were incapable of producing live fetuses. So even if they broke Kryptonian law, no one had the capability of conceiving a child...that is, until you. My beautiful, black haired princess. Oh, I will miss those blue eyes of yours. You look so much like your father."

Jacinda paused, and Kyla heard a faint sniffle and whimper in the background.

"Because you were considered an illegal product, I didn't want to lose you. I didn't want them to take you away from me and destroy you, as were the rumors of what happened to any natural born children. I couldn't let that happen, so I kept you a secret...which means, Kyla, that your father had no idea that you existed. I'm so very sorry for lying to you, but I figured you might be able to get over it if you knew no one was waiting for you back here. Please do not attempt to come back. Live on earth with people who will love you and accept you with consequence."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. For nearly 30 years Kyla had hated her father for his abandonment for which he wasn't guilty. Clark had been right.

"So, I did not send you off because you were unwanted by a mother and father, I sent you away so you could live. There was no future for you here on Krypton. I'm positive your father would've loved you, but I chose to keep you from him to protect all of us. I must admit though, I second guess myself everyday for that decision. I got to have you for two years before it got too dangerous to keep you hidden. Please know, Kyla dear, I absolutely had your best interests at heart. For any grief my lies have caused you, I will never forgive myself."

Kyla heard more sniffling and stifled breaths as Jacinda tried to subdue the breakdown about to happen.

"There is something else, my little one. I'm not sure if I should tell you, as I don't want to add fuel to the fire I've unleashed. Your father and his wife have also given birth to a child… a son. They, too, have kept him secret. You have a brother named Kal-El, my precious Kyla, and I'm so sorry to say you will never meet him. I learned this secret in a dishonest way, but I feel I am justified to tell you. You deserve to know."

The dam breaks lose, and Jacinda loses control of her composure. Her sobs echo throughout the chamber, and Kyla can't help but cry along with her. She didn't know how to process the information she just received, and every emotion granted to humans poured out with her tears. Clark's Kryptonian name was Kal-El. He was her brother. A pain she hoped to never experience singed her chest, and she gasped for air. The sobs rocked her, and she quickly ran out of breath.

For the past 33 years, her own flesh and blood had been on the same planet with her, and neither one of them knew it. Now, he was dead. Kyla's face burned with red hot fury as an ire for her mother burned in her heart. Why hadn't she chanced it? Then she remembered that Krypton had exploded not long after Clark was sent away. If she'd stayed, she'd be dead… just like her mother and father. Granted, she thought death felt better than how she felt at this moment.

"I'd rather be dead than be alone and suffer with all the consequences of my mother's lies."

Kyla wiped her eyes with her forearm and sat back in the chair. Her backpack crinkled and whined in protest, and then she recalled the box Martha had given her. She swung the backpack around and brought the crumpled box out of the bag.

Then she remembered today was her birthday. Kyla couldn't help but stare at the navy blue paper and black bow. She wanted to rip it apart or throw it a thousand miles, as the pain attached to it was too great. Clark's face was the only thing that motivated her to open it. Should she open it? What if the gift made her hurt worse than she already did? Should she just store it away for another day?

Pushing aside her anxiety and grief, she untied the bow and tore off the paper with gentle ease. When she lifted the top off, a handwritten note sat atop gift tissue. She unfolded it and recognized Clark's scribble:

 _Ky,_

 _I've been waiting a couple of weeks to give this to you. Other than keeping my identity a secret, keeping this a secret has proved to be harder. I'm sorry I wasn't around for more birthdays, but I'm more than grateful to be around for this one. I'm so thankful to have you in my life, and I hope to share many more decades and flights with you._

 _I made this for you, and one day I hope you'll wear it. Knowing you, you'll probably throw it back in my face and laugh at me. That's okay. You'll eventually come around. Although, we will have to have a conversation once you open this._

 _Love, Clark._

Another sob crawled up her throat, but she managed to tackle it just in time before it burst through her lips. After she placed the note to the side, she carefully pulled away the tissue to find a black garment folded up. She hadn't figured Clark for the sewing or crocheting type, but he managed to surprised her all the time. Kyla pulled out the cloth to discover it was two pieces. One felt like a mixture of silk and cotton, and the other was a firmer texture closer to rubber.

As she unfolded it further, an image emblazoned across the chest revealed itself. In a silver diamond with gray inlay, the symbol of the House of El stared back at her. She cupped her mouth with her hand and gasped. Clark had made her an outfit like his except with her favorite colors instead of his red and blue. Below the uniform was a pair of black boots with a silver stripe up both sides.

Just when Kyla thought she couldn't cry anymore, more tears flowed down her face. This had been the best and worst birthday of her life, and she didn't know how to feel about it. Anger, despair, hope, joy, and regret all walked across the stage of her mind, auditioning for the lead role of dominant emotion.

Why had he put his crest on it? She didn't understand, but she thought it better to read his note again. When she got to the last line, it read differently to her. Clark's secret stood beyond a veil, and she could only assume… he knew. Somehow he'd found out Kyla was his relative and planned to tell her on her birthday. He'd tried so hard to make her day special, and even beyond the grave he managed to accomplish it.

She put the outfit back in the box and put it back in her backpack. It would see the light of day again but not today. After requests for more information, Kelex read her file after file of Kryptonian history from beginning to the era before their destruction. Having gotten to know Clark, some of the things Kelex read to her only confirmed what Clark told her. When Kelex spoke of the Growth Codex, her ears pricked up. Once, Clark had told her before his father...now her father...sent him to earth, he infused the Codex with Clark's DNA. General Zod made every effort to extract it, but only came away with a little.

Kryptonian culture used the Codex to create life in the Genesis Chambers, pods that created fetuses for harvesting. It served as the blueprint for the Kryptonian genome, and the generations used it to determine gender, duty, and lifestyle before it took its first breath. The history books said it was the skull of the first Kryptonian whoever existed. Krypton at its purest. Advanced technology was used to pull from the Codex and manipulate it to create life. Kelex read off the scientific formula for it, but it went right over Kyla's head. Science had never been her strong subject.

After she could hear all that she could stand hearing, she powered down the ship and exited. She'd taken a small novel of notes and stuffed them in her backpack. When she took a long look at her ship, it pained her to have to bury it again. Another finality she didn't want to accept.

Kyla patted down the last patch of dirt, took a deep breath, and blew a layer of ice over the surface to recreate the permafrost look. She hoped she would never have to come back there again. Now that she had what she thought was enough proof, she decided it was time to pay Bruce Wayne a visit.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The only challenge Kyla saw with gaining an audience with Wayne was getting him alone with no prying eyes and ears. She knew that approaching him in full meta-human form would alarm him and probably not gain his trust. She thought it best to start with the most obvious way and try to book an appointment with him. When she called his office to set one up, his secretary conveniently told her that "Mr. Wayne is all booked up for the rest of the year." Kyla wondered if the assistant heard her chuff in response. She wasn't stupid, but because she wasn't someone of a political or famous level, Bruce Wayne had no time for her.

Her next option was to corner him out in public, but it was hard trying to learn his schedule. Wayne managed to slip into his limousine undetected, so she had not been able to follow him home. For someone so rich and famous, he kept to a reclusive lifestyle. It was rare for him to be seen out in the general public, but Kyla got her chance after stalking the entrance to Wayne Industries for a week.

Bruce Wayne exited the glass doors, cell phone against his ear. Kyla tuned in with her extra strength hearing to listen to his conversation.  
"Lucius, I need that synthetic by the end of the week. The suit's not holding up like it used to, and for the most part, neither am I," Wayne said.

"The manufacturer has had some issues with customs in southeast Asia which has put everything behind schedule, Mr. Wayne. He assured me that you would have it this week."

"If I need to go get myself, I'll do it," Wayne sighed.

"I don't doubt that, Sir, but he promised it would be in two days," Lucius said.

"If it's not halfway across the world by tomorrow, I'll handle it myself."

As he spoke to the man on the other end of the line, Bruce scurried down the sidewalk with his hand in his pocket. He appeared to be in a hurry, but Kyla didn't waste her time heading toward him. His conversation ended, and as he slipped the phone into his jacket pocket, Kyla strode up to him.

"Excuse me, Mr. Wayne?"

Caught off guard, he turned and looked at her with wide eyes. She noticed his body tense up, and she knew immediately that he was already on the defensive.

"Yeah," he responded.

"Could I get a minute of your time?" she said.

"Actually, no, I'm sorry. I'm on my way to a lunch appointment, but you can call my assistant to get an appointment."

Wayne turned at the street corner, but Kyla wasn't ready to give up.

"I've already tried that. I've been waiting to catch you. I need to talk to you about-"

"Look, lady. I'm extremely busy right now. Just call my assistant."

Bruce walked faster, and she knew he was trying to get away from her. It wouldn't be a challenge to keep up with him, but she needed his attention.

"It's about Clark."

Even though he kept his speed, he slightly turned his head, and Kyla knew she had his attention now.

"Clark who?"

"Clark Kent," she said, keeping the same speed.

"The Daily Planet reporter? What about him?"

"No, your friend. My-"

Bruce stopped with such abruptness that Kyla almost tripped over her own feet.

"Listen, lady. You have me confused with somebody else. I didn't know Mr. Kent personally. Now, please, leave me alone."  
Kyla had to bring out the information ammo before she completely lost him.

"I saw you and that woman at his funeral. Stop playing dumb, Mr. Wayne," she said as her irritation grew every second that he didn't relent.

The look of impatience upon Wayne's face morphed into a concerning ire. His brow furrowed, and his eyes narrowed. The muscles in his jaw swelled, and she knew she'd hit the right button.

"That's it. If you don't step away from me this second, I'm calling the police."

He pulled his cell phone out from his breast pocket and began to dial the number. She didn't want the attention from the police, and it was obvious Wayne was in no mood to talk, so she glared at him as she stepped away.

"We will talk about this, Bruce. You owe him that."

Wayne turned on his heel, shoved the phone back into his pocket, and continued on his path down the street before he disappeared around another corner. Kyla cursed and shoved her hands into her jeans. Now what was she supposed to do? Use her powers to make him listen? That wouldn't make her an ally particularly quick.

She walked back to the memorial park and sat down on an empty bench. The box with Clark's gift crunched inside her backpack. That little sound gave her an idea. If Wayne only saw her as was a nutjob stalker, then she would have to appear to him as something different. Something he would recognize.

That night, Kyla waited in the forest just beyond Wayne's glass manor. Her plans were to approach him either in or outside his home in the suit Clark gave her. The uniform she donned made her itch. Although it breathed well, she felt suffocated under the tight fabric. She had to admit that it did give her a sense of confidence and power she'd never felt before. The House of El shield glimmered in the moonlight, and she could see small Kryptonian writing engraved inside the S. It was too bad she couldn't read it, but the opportunity to pay Kelex another visit seemed hopeful. Somewhere in the databanks of her ship had to be some kind of Kryptonian dictionary.

The sound of rushing water yanked her out of her thoughtful daze, and she searched for its source. Forty yards off shore, a whirlpool type hole opened up in the lake. Before Kyla could blink, a ramp surfaced from underneath the water that led straight to land.

"What the-" she gawked.

A vehicle burst from the gaping maw of the lake, and it roared past her. It sat low to the ground with a slim, sleek body with tires that reached the height of her chest. The loud rumble of the engine echoed across the lake and forest. She watched the armored vehicle disappear beyond the trees, and she wondered if she should follow it or wait for Bruce Wayne. Her curiosity bested her, so she soared off after the car and followed it into downtown Gotham City.

The vehicle pulled into a dark alleyway and sat in silence. Whomever was in the car, they were waiting on something. Before she could use her x-ray vision to peek inside, a window burst into shards three stories up, and three figures dressed in black hoodies jumped out. She heard an electronic beep, and a _thwap_ sound followed.

From the top of the vehicle, an opening appeared, and the driver shot straight up in the air. Upon closer inspection, she noticed the driver had used some sort of gun to shoot a grappling hook onto the ledge of the building. He rocketed through the air and landed on the fire escape platform one level below the broken window.

Once in the moonlight, Kyla managed to get a good look at the driver. He was dressed in a dark gray outfit with a black cape. Atop his head sat a cowled mask, and instantly Kyla knew who he was… the famed Batman, Gotham's dark knight. She'd read stories about his vigilante jaunts, but she never thought she would see him in action.

The three perpetrators scattered in different directions. One continued up the fire escape, one hopped across the alleyway and nearly fell to his death when he caught the guard rail with one hand, and the third tried to shimmy down the fire escape past the caped crusader. The Batman retracted his grappling hook and fired it at the perp trying to scale the building at the top. The hook wrapped around his neck, and Batman yanked him down to his level. With his other hand, he threw a sharp, bladed object resembling a bat at the person climbing down the fire escape. It ricocheted perfectly off the steps and struck the man in the ankle as he leapt to the ground. The blade dug deep into his foot, and he screamed with agony as he clutched it.

The third criminal managed to climb his way to the top of the opposite building and dash off across the roof. Kyla saw an opportunity to help, and she took it. She zipped in front of the man, and he crashed into her. The hooded man fell onto his back and looked up at her stunned.

Kyla reached down and picked him up by his jacket collar. The man squirmed in her grip as he screamed in protest. The Batman wasn't far behind him.

"Sorry, thought I'd step in and catch this one for you. Seemed like you had your hands full," she said.

A deep, mechanized voice spoke to her from the darkness, "Who are you?"

When Batman approached them, Kyla used her x-ray vision to see the mystery behind the cowl. She was shocked to see Bruce Wayne's face glaring back at her. In her surprise, she almost dropped the squirming perp but held him fast.

"Funny you should ask that as you wouldn't give me the time of day earlier," she said.

"Why are you wearing that symbol? You don't deserve to bear that mark," he hissed.

Irritated with the questioning and the little rat putting up a fuss, she tossed the criminal at Batman's feet. He yelped in pain as he skidded across the rooftop gravel.

"You're welcome," she frowned. "And who are you to say I can't wear this? I came here to talk to you about a mutual friend of ours."

Batman bound the man at the hands and feet with zip ties and threw him over his shoulder. He turned and proceeded to walk back towards the ledge.

"Wait a second," she barked. Kyla flew in front of Batman and blocked his path. "I'm not done talking to you."

As if he hadn't heard her, he brushed past her and jumped off the side of the building. What in the world had Clark seen in this guy? He was impossible to deal with. Batman had gathered all three individuals into a pile in front of his vehicle. The one with the blade sticking into his Achilles heel cried out in agony, and Batman punched him, knocking him out cold. The second wriggled like a worm on a hot sidewalk as he tried to free himself from his constraints. The third lay motionless on the ground next to them.

Kyla soared down and landed in front of the Batmobile, blocking its way out. She could hear police sirens getting closer to their location.

"Look, Cla-, er Superman is, I mean, was my brother."

The top of the Batmobile opened, and Batman crawled inside without a word. This infuriated Kyla. The Kryptonian blood coursing through her veins boiled with anger, and her eyes began to glow red. She placed her hands on the hood of the car, preventing it from going anywhere.

"Not here," Batman mumbled with his mechanized voice. "Meet me at Arkham."

"Arkham? Arkham Asylum?" she asked.

The Batmobile rumbled to life, and the tires squealed under the tension of her grasp. She released her grip and darted out the way as the vehicle soared out of the alley and down the street. Police cars then pulled up to the alley, and blue and red lights bounced off the walls of the building. Not wanting to be seen, Kyla rocketed into the air and chased the Batmobile through the streets of Gotham.

They made their way up the hill to the large manor sitting at the top, and the iron gates of Arkham Asylum welcomed them. Outside the front doors was a commotion. Arkham guards, sat on their knees outside in the plaza with a group of people drawing down on them with guns. The Batmobile came to an abrupt halt just outside the gate, and Batman hopped out.

"You want to prove yourself, then help me round these guys up without anyone getting killed. Maybe then we'll have that talk," he said.

If this was how he wanted to play it, then Kyla would oblige him. Before he could get two steps past the asylum's gate, Kyla shot past him and took out the assailants within a matter of seconds. Since she didn't have zip ties handy, she opted to just knock them unconscious. By the time Batman was able to get close to the group, the bad guys were out cold and the weapons lied next to the quivering Arkham guards.

The search lamps at the top of the building illuminated the entire group, and she turned to Batman to relish in her accomplishment.  
"Is this what you wanted?"

"You?" Batman said with a skeptical tone.

It hadn't occurred to her that Batman had not been able to see her face in the alleway. Judging by his reaction, he had just then gotten a good look at her face and remembered it. The guards reclaimed their weapons and thanked them for the help. As he made his way back to the Batmobile, Kyla followed with victorious content. Finally, he had to listen now.

"Get in," he demanded.

Without another word, she hopped in the passenger seat next to him.

"Now that you mention it, you actually look like him. Why is it no one has ever mentioned you?"

The doors closed, and the Batmobile rumbled to life.

"Because I asked Clark not to. I didn't want the same attention he got. I enjoy my anonymity."

"So why now?" he asked.

"I saw you at Clark's funeral, with that woman, and I heard your conversation about finding other people like her. Is she Kryptonian?"

Batman didn't respond. He threw the vehicle into higher gear and whipped around a corner. Kyla wondered if she'd made a mistake getting into the vehicle with him.

"No. She's not Kryptonian. I really don't know what she is, but she's from a powerful race of warrior women on a secret island."

Kyla couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was he putting her on? Kyla didn't respond and stared out the window as the city zipped by them.

"You still didn't answer my question. Why now?"

"There was something in your voice when she asked you why they needed to fight. It's been eating at me since that day. I've been biding my time, trying to figure out a way to approach you." She sighed, "I want to help. Whatever it is that you feel is coming, I want to help. I owe Clark that much."

Bruce Wayne didn't respond. He pushed two buttons on the dashboard panel, and Kyla noticed they were back at the lake on the Wayne estate. The car drove straight into the water and down the hole she'd seen open up earlier. They sped down a tunnel, and before she could ask where they were going, the vehicle's headlights revealed a cavern.

When the car stopped, he opened the hatch, and they got out. He clamored up the stairs to a long room enclosed by glass. Data flashed across high tech computer screens. Tables full of mechanical parts lined the outer wall of the room, and Kyla noticed a tall, lanky man sitting at one of them.

"Master Bruce, you didn't tell me you were expecting company." The man spoke with a proper British accent as he eyed her with suspicion.

"Alfred, meet… what's your name?" He asked her.

"Kyla." She shook Alfred's hand. "I'm Superman's sister."

Alfred turned and gave Bruce a look that must have translated over years of knowing each other, because Bruce rolled his eyes.

"I know, Alfred."

Kyla didn't know what to say, and the silent conversation happening between the two men made her feel awkward like an outcast. Alfred turned back to her.

"Miss...Kyla, can I get you anything?"

"If you could get this guy to talk and open up, that would be nice," she chuckled.

"I'm afraid I'm still working on that myself, my dear. Master Bruce is a man of very few words. He's still a mystery to even me… and I raised him."

"Alfred, I think I heard someone knocking at the front door," Bruce muttered.

"I believe that's my cue to leave," Alfred groaned. "If you'll excuse me, Miss Kyla." He stood, glared at Wayne, and walked up a set of stairs at the end of the room.

She leaned against the table and crossed her arms, "So, are you planning to keep me down here in this dungeon, or are you going to let me in on your secret?"

Bruce sat down at a large computer screen and tapped a few strokes on the keyboard before a folder popped open. Inside were three files with a lightning bolt, an upside down V, and a C for their icons.

"This is why I brought you here… to show you this."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Kyla watched as Wayne played a video of a man in a convenience store as he witnessed a robbery in progress. The screen flashed as the man stood in front of the milk fridge and was gone the next. The other camera revealed the would-be robber sailing across the room and ramming into a food shelf. The screen flashed again and showed the young, long haired male standing in front of the fridge.

"Wait a second." She pointed at the screen. "Play that again." Bruce did. She wasn't sure why she was so shocked, as her existence alone proved there were things unnatural from earth's human standard.

"I tracked this male down in Central City. His name is Barry Allen. I haven't made contact with him yet, but I see it being a better suited task for you. You told me you wanted in, so, this is it. This is recruitment," Bruce said.

"What makes you think I could bring him in any better than you?"

"You're more relatable and less threatening looking. Plus, you're a female. Younger guys have a softer spot for women as opposed to stuffy, old rich guys."

"I wouldn't call you… stuffy. Maybe a little broody," Kyla said with a smirk.

"Besides, you're the closest at keeping up with him."

Bruce clicked on the folder with the C icon and played a series of videos showcasing a man with mechanical parts, like an android. He looked like something out of a Terminator movie. One side of his face was covered in silver with a red digital eye, the other was his original face. The rest of his body appeared to be fully machine. The scientist videoed test experiments on movement, thought processes, reaction time, and body transformation. It was truly one of the most amazing things she'd ever seen.

"This is Victor Stone. The older man you see, the scientist, is his father Dr. Silas Stone from S.T.A.R. Labs in Metropolis. When Victor got into an accident, his father had him outfitted with metallic implants to save his life. I have been in contact with Victor and Dr. Stone, but Victor's integration is a slow process. Mentally, he's still in an unstable state on top of adjusting to losing 75% of his body. He's on board though, but time will tell what he can contribute."

"His father did that to him?" she asked with a pain in heart. "I can't imagine being either one of them. Is the world ready for someone like him… a cyborg?"

"They'll have to be," Bruce said. "He may get some of the same grief Clark did."

After he opened the folder with the upside V icon, a video of a ocean wreckage came on the screen. Kyla watched intently as glowing eyes flashed from a hole in the sunken ship. The hairs on her neck danced. From the gap in the submerged vessel, a man with long hair with a trident spear in hand swam at the camera. She noticed the fury in eyes as he thrust his weapon into the lens. The video cut to another camera angle and showed the man soaring through the water at a speed incapable by humans, or even fish for that matter.

"A mermaid?" Kyla chuckled. "Now you're just screwing with me. Seriously?"

"I assure you he's no mermaid. His name is Arthur Curry, and he's the king of Atlantis."

"Ok, even this is hard to swallow, Bruce."

"Why? Just two years ago, the majority of the general public didn't believe in aliens… and here you are."

She chuffed with mock amusement, "Let me guess, you expect me to go take a long walk off a short pier to get this guy?"

"No, that would be my job." A woman's voice spoke behind them.

Alarmed that Kyla had not heard her, she spun around on the defensive. The woman she'd seen with Bruce in the cemetery walked toward her. In person she evoked a commanding personality. She walked with purpose and fearlessness.

"I see Bruce has a new friend." She half smiled.

"Diana, this is Kyla… Clark's sister."

Diana looked at her with studious eyes. She didn't like being ogled and judged.

"Did you know about her?" Diana asked.

"No. In fact, I just met her an hour ago."

"I'm surprised you let her down here in your little cave. It took you weeks to let me come in." Diana grinned.

Kyla started to grow irritated. They talked about her like she wasn't in the room. She cleared her throat.  
"I am Diana Prince from the island of Themyscira." She offered her hand to Kyla.

"Never heard of that one. Is that in the Mediterranean?"

"Pretty close." Diana smiled.

Kyla got the impression that its location wasn't meant to be revealed when Diana didn't elaborate further.

"If you're anything like your brother, you would be right at home on Themyscira. My sisters would embrace you like one of our own."

"I'm just getting used to the idea of having a brother that I didn't know about until an alien invasion. I'll let you know when I'm ready to tackle sisterhood." Kyla smirked. "So how did you get the lovely task of going deep sea fishing?"

"My ancestors are familiar with the Atlantians. While I, personally, know nothing, my mother has a wealth of knowledge learned from the gods. We hope she can shed some light on them so we know what we're walking into. Bruce is a masterful detective. I have no idea how he found out his name."

"I don't divulge all of my secrets," Bruce mumbled under his breath. "Back to the task at hand." He punched a few keys, and a profile of Barry Allen appeared on the screen. "Mr. Allen is a forensic scientist with the Central City police. Which puts him in a good place for us, because he sees and hears the stuff we don't. An inside man. Kyla, you need to befriend him. He's already on the side of the good guys, so it shouldn't be that hard if you can connect with him. Somebody similar to him might get him to open up, become part of the team… or whatever we're calling this."

Kyla stared at the picture on the screen. Barry couldn't have been older than eighteen, but his twenty four year old face was dabbled with tragedy. She read that his mother had been murdered right in front of him as a child, with his father convicted of the crime. The long, shaggy brown hair draped across his face, and a few week's worth of beard covered his chin. His face seemed so childlike, but his eyes conveyed he'd seen things of horror done by mankind. Having worked for the police department for two years, she could imagine Mr. Allen had seen his fair share of grisly, but his lack of reluctance to vigilantism showed that he still had hope. She worried Wayne had picked her for the wrong mission. Her whole life was spent in introversion, and they depended on her interpersonal skills to connect with a meta-human? The idea made her second guess the decision to put on the suit. Was she ready to put herself out there like that? The mental vulnerability alone made her hesitant. She didn't have a friend in the world, and now she was expected to make one that could save the world.

"I'm not going to promise anything. There's a reason you didn't know about me. I worked hard to keep it that way. You're asking me to divulge myself to someone who's not looking for me. That's a lot of trust, Bruce. Are you sure you want this guy?" she asked.

"Don't worry. I did my research. I don't leap into water without knowing its depth," Bruce said. "You, on the other hand, should learn a little restraint and not let your feelings dictate your actions. That will get you killed."

Kyla arched her eyebrow, "Have you forgotten who you're talking to? Getting hurt isn't something I'm good at. I can't even get a papercut."

"A healthy amount of fear will keep you alive. I don't have to remind you what happened to your brother. You're not invincible, and you shouldn't go around thinking you are."

"Bruce, you've known me for a whole hour, and you sound like my dad. You forget that I've been at this longer than Clark ever was. I know how to play it safe. You can sit down here in your little hole or behind that cowl in the shadows, but you gotta let me do my thing. Clark tried to play dad, too, and it didn't work out well for him either."

Diana sighed with obvious exaggeration, "Ok, you two. It's like you're mirror images of each other. Kyla, we just need to get Allen on the team so go get him. Let Bruce brood behind his computer if he wants."

Thankful for the break in tension, Kyla changed the subject, "Level with me, Bruce. What do you think is coming?"

"I visited Lex Luthor in prison shortly after the Doomsday event. Something he said has been eating at me. 'The bell's already been rung, and they've heard it. Out in the dark, among the stars. The bell cannot be unrung. He's hungry. He's found us… and he's coming.'" Bruce leaned back in his chair and rested his chin between his fingers. "Luthor is crazy, but not he's not a lunatic. He doesn't have a history of schizophrenia or hallucinations. He saw or heard something from that Kryptonian ship. Also, I've been having these dreams or visions. I'm not really sure how to explain it, but they're the stuff of nightmares. At first I thought it was due to too much alcohol or too much time serving justice, but then my satellites picked up this."

The mouse clicked a few times, and a series of pictures stretched out across the screen.

"This picture here was taken shortly after Zod showed up two years ago." A small red dot sat in a sea of stars. "This picture was taken six months after Zod's death." The dot was three times larger. "This picture was taken three months ago." The red dot was no longer a dot but the size of a baseball. "NASA has been freaking out about it for weeks now, but they will not mention it to the public and take chances on causing mass hysteria."

"Is that a comet or an asteroid?" Diana leaned in closer to the screen.

"That was my first thought, but comets don't move that fast. Plus it doesn't have a tail. It looks like… a planet," Bruce said.

"A planet? Did I hear you right? Are you sure?" Kyla gaped at the screen.

"According to NASA, it fits the bill of a planet other than the fact it moves, separate of our sun's orbit."

"I don't understand. Doesn't that defy physics and basic scientific theory?" Kyla asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine, but planets don't move with purpose and direction. Whatever it is, it's on a path straight to us. They're estimating it'll be in earth's orbit in six weeks."

"This may seem like a dumb question here, but are they expecting it to collide with us?" Kyla could feel her nerves starting to fray at the ends. Her brain was on overload, and she didn't know how to process everything being thrown at her.

"NASA seems to think so, but I don't. Those dreams I've been having, they're about the destruction of earth. War, death, chaos. There's this Omega symbol etched into the ground. It stretches for miles across a wasteland. Like it's a mark. A brand. I don't know, maybe a decree. My gut tells me that whoever's driving that thing is not coming here in peace." He turned and looked intently at Kyla and Diana. "That's why we have to find these meta-humans. They're our only shot. Man can't fight this battle alone."

They sat there in silence and stared at the pictures on the screen. She didn't know what they were thinking, but her thoughts drowned in a fear she'd never experienced. Had Zod unwillingly brought something with him? Or had someone followed him to finish what he failed to do?


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Kyla stood on a street in Central City and ran the whole scenario through in her head of what she was going to say to this Barry Allen. Should she just lay it out for him? Should she be vague and tell him enough just to get him interested? Should she name drop some people?  
"This is ridiculous," she said. "I've been sitting here for an hour, and I still haven't seen him."

Reports of sightings grew each day, so Kyla knew it would be a matter of time before Mr. Allen crossed her path. If she had to stand there for another couple of hours, she was going to tell Batman where to stick it and do his own dirty work. She wanted to help round up meta-humans, but playing hide and go seek wasn't something she signed up for. Somewhere in her mind, she had the impression it would be much easier. Albeit, it wasn't like they could place an ad in the classifieds.

"Just be patient. He'll show up." Bruce chirped in her ear piece. "I'm already hearing chatter about sightings tonight. Seems he's got a busy schedule tonight."

Kyla focused her hearing to listen for any commotion around the city, but she hadn't been able to finely tune it like Clark had. Before his death, that was one of the last tricks he'd been trying to teach her. Horns blared, people cursed, running footsteps, chewing, gulping. She couldn't focus on anything, and all the sounds overloaded her senses.

"Ugh, how did Clark do this? I can hear everything and nothing at the same time. I hear stuff that I can't unhear either. You owe me for this one, Wayne."

"Stick to the public monikers. I don't want to have to explain that to the shareholders."

"Ahem. You owe me for this one, Bat-man." She put emphasis on his name hoping the sarcasm would bite. "So, if you get a code name, what's mine?"  
"I'm working on that," he mumbled.

"Nothing girly and stupid." She heard a whooshing noise soar past, and her hair whipped around her face. "He's here."

The scarlet speeder sped past down the street like a flash of lightning. A trail of quickly fading electricity followed his path.

"Ok, I'm fast, but I'm not that fast."

She took off after him and ran as fast as she could to catch up. He zoomed around corners, up and down the sides of buildings, and it was Kyla could do just to keep him in eyesight. She heard an alarm singing ahead of them. Someone must've been in the act of committing a crime, and Barry Allen followed suit by heading in that direction.

As she soared into an alleyway on foot, she watched as Allen darted in and out of the building. Each time he came out, he had a masked perpetrator in hand where he proceeded to fling them up against the wall to stun them. Allen was dressed in a red suit that covered him head to toe except for his eyes and jaws. A bright yellow lightning bolt was stitched into the chestplate with matching bolts sitting atop his ears.

"You gotta be kidding me," she chuckled.

"What is it?" Batman barked in her ear.

"Allen. He's dressed in this red suit, like something out of a warped Greek Mythology fashion show. Granted, it does the trick of concealing his identity, but he has style. He almost looks like he's enjoying himself. I've never seen somebody full of smiles while stopping a crime in progress."

"The city calls him The Flash."

"Well, at least he gets a cool name. The lightning bolt makes sense now."

As Allen dropped the last thug on the concrete, he saw Kyla, waved, and smiled. Unsure of what to do, Kyla smiled back and waved back.

Through gritted, smiling teeth, she whispered, "He's smiling and waving at me. What am I supposed to do? I wasn't expecting somebody...friendly."

Kyla heard Batman sigh, "Just talk to him."

"Big help there, Chief."

Before she could say a word to Allen, he zipped past her and fled down the boulevard. How was she supposed to catch this guy? He was loads faster than her. Kyla followed the red and yellow path all over the city, as it appeared Allen searched for incidents to interfere with.

When they rounded a plaza, Kyla saw a car weaving in and out of traffic. A gray sedan swung back and forth between lanes, and she got the impression the driver was running from something. Suddenly, two police cars rounded the corner, and their sirens came to life. Before Kyla could react, Allen was already on it. He waltzed around parked and moving cars till he was face to face with the swerving car. What did he think he was going to do? According to Batman's research, he didn't have super strength like Clark. At first glance, speed seemed to be his only attribute.

What Kyla hadn't noticed until Barry whisked to the side was a family of four in the path of the oncoming car. Allen grabbed them just as the car sped over their path, and he sat each one of them down on the sidewalk nearby. The sedan's tires screeched, and the driver lost control. It whipped around in circles and headed straight for a crowd of onlookers.

Allen seemed distracted with the family, so Kyla had to act. She planted her feet in the path of the gray vehicle, and it slammed into her instead of the group of people behind her. The automobile's frame bent around her body, and the metal groaned after it came to a complete halt. The driver's face peered back at her in amazement. His wide eyes and agape mouth froze behind the windshield. Excited voices squawked among the crowd, and people pointed at her and Allen. She glanced over at The Flash, and his face mirrored the one of the driver.

In a flash, he was gone, and Kyla grunted in frustration.

"You must be freaking kidding. I can't keep up with this guy."

"Yes, you can. Get moving," Batman said.

Again, Kyla raced off after Allen and followed him to an apartment complex on the west side of town. She watched as Allen scurried up the eight story building and jumped into an open window.

"Well, I think I found where he hangs his hat...er, suit."

Kyla leaped and followed Allen through the window. Before she could get all the way through, Allen had started to remove the suit.  
"What the-?"

His mask flopped back behind his head like the hood of a jacket, and he had one glove off when she set her feet down.

"You're a hard man to catch," she said.

Big, brown wide eyes gaped at her.

"Who are you? And...how...how did you catch me?" he asked.

"Mr. Allen, you're not the only one with special abilities. My name's Kyla. I was hoping I could talk to you about a...job opportunity."

The ear piece chirped with static.

"It's not a job. Don't position it that way," Batman said.

"You asked me to do this. Shut up and let me do it my way," she bit back.

"Um, I didn't ask you anything," Barry said.

Kyla waved him off, "Sorry, I have this annoying buzzing in my ear." She plucked the electronic from her ear canal and placed it in her pocket. Maybe she'd be able to concentrate without Batman in her head.

"How did you get...like that?" Allen asked.

"That's kind of a long story, one we'll have to put off for another day. Let's just say I was born that way. Right now, there's more pressing matters. We want you to come join...our...club." Kyla winced with embarrassment. Club? No. What did they call themselves? "Not club. Team. League. I don't know, but we need your help."

"We?" he asked.

"People like you and me." She sat in a nearby chair. "Something's coming, Barry. We don't know what, but we know it's not good."

"I'm not following your cloak and dagger pitch here. First, you follow me around the city, get a car wrapped around you as if it was jello, and you fly into my window. I've only seen one other person come close to that, and, well, he's gone." Barry took off his other glove and sat on the sofa across from her. He pried his boots off and stared at her. "I don't know you from Adam."

"Batman's on the team," she said flatly.

Allen's face brightened. "I'm in. When and where?"

Kyla gawked at him. After all this fuss about sending her instead of Batman because she was less threatening.

"Seriously? That's all it took to convince you?" Kyla rubbed her temples and hoped Batman could hear every word.

"It's Batman. Who wouldn't?" he said with a huge smile. "Who else is on the team?"

"Hold up. Just a few seconds ago, you were Skeptical Skully...but now you're gung-ho?"

Barry leaned back and crossed his hands behind his head, "Why do you care what my motivation is? You just want me on the team right?"

"Ok, fine. As far as the team goes, it's a work in progress. There's Batman, myself, Diana, Victor, and we're working on one more. He's a little bit more remote."

Barry sat quietly and stared at her. She wasn't sure if she needed to say more or participate in the staring contest. The big grin on his face disconcerted her. Why was he so happy? She'd freaked out at the first sight of Clark, but Allen didn't seem phased by her or the proposal.

"So, where do we go from here?" Barry asked.

"Honestly, I hadn't planned on you accepting so quickly." She plucked the ear piece from her pocket and shoved it back into her ear. "Allen said ok. What now, Bats?"

Barry shot up from his seat, "What? You're talking to Batman?"

Kyla ignored him as she listened to Wayne's reply.

"I don't want to bring everybody here to the cave. I'd like to save some anonymity. Just tell him we'll be in contact when it's time."

"Vague as usual. Nice chatting, Bats." She pressed in the power button, and the earpiece went silent. "Just hang tight. We'll be in touch, Barry."

Barry's posture went from uptight and excited to a slow slouch. "Wow, you got me all excited for nothing."

"Nah, it's just not the time yet. We just wanted to see if you'd help, and now that you've agreed, we'll let you know," Kyla said.

"OK, fine." Barry plopped down on the couch and sulked. "So, are you going to call me or drop in like today?"

"Who knows. Maybe Batman will do it himself." She smiled, hoping to cheer him up.

Kyla could see the corners of Allen's mouth twitch with a grin as he failed poorly to suppress it. Barry did have a good point. What was next? Once they recruited the aqua-guy, what was Batman planning for them to do? Make matching suits? Do some physical training in a superhero gym? Sit around a campfire and tell villain stories?

She bid him farewell and disappeared out of his window into the sky. Kyla looked down on Central City and wondered if one day she'd be able to look on a city of her own knowing she made a difference. Would Metropolis accept her? Filling Superman's shoes was a big deal, and the constant thoughts of self-doubt swam in circles in her head.

Kyla flew back to Wayne's estate where he stood on the edge of the lake staring at the horizon. When she touched ground next to him, he didn't look her way or acknowledge her presence. She glanced out to see if he was looking at something in particular, but Kyla could only see the moon and clouds reflection over the waves.

"Do you really have a plan, or are you just winging it as we go?" she said after a minute's silence.

"I always have a plan," he said, not making eye contact. "Arthur Curry said yes, but I have a feeling he won't play along as eagerly as Mr. Allen. He's trying to repair the bridge between the land and sea kingdoms. Diana tried to convince him this took precedence, because there won't be countries or cultures once this thing finally gets here. We have to fight as a united species."

"Why are you so convinced that whatever is coming is up for a fight? Maybe they're just passing through."

Wayne didn't respond.

"Hello, Earth to Batman." She waved her hand in front of his face.

He crossed his arms and turned to her. The look upon his face made the hairs on her neck stand. Bruce's brow and eyes were taut with a seriousness she'd never seen on him. Granted she'd only known him short of two weeks, he kept the same mad face for every conversation. His lips were pulled together so tight as if he tried to prevent something bursting from them.

"I heard something yesterday," he said. "One of my satellites was aimed at it, and I picked up voices. A lot of them. Felt like I was listening to a radio airing of one of Hitler's speeches to the Nazis. They chanted like an army. I couldn't understand the language, so I ran past it my language database. The computer couldn't identify it, so I know I wasn't listening to some transmission from earth." Bruce uncrossed his arms and stuck his hands in his pockets. "That was a pep speech. Whomever gave it sounded like he was preparing his troops for war."

Kyla didn't know what to say. Despite having a team of people who could do more than an average human, she still felt helpless.

"Are we just fish in a barrell, Bruce?"

"I refuse to think like that. I won't lie that I'm on edge, but the human race-," he paused and corrected himself. "The inhabitants of earth are resilient. We don't give up. We can't."

Kyla wished she felt the same. Her confidence in people ebbed and waned over her lifetime, and it was really tested when she saw what Clark put up with. Maybe they wouldn't fight. Maybe they would surrender so they wouldn't have to fight yet another battle with an alien race. How much more would earth tolerate?


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Kyla stood at the foot of Clark's grave and stared down at the fresh grass that covered the dirt pile she'd seen just two months ago. A trio of fresh sunflowers draped across the top of the new tombstone. She assumed they were from Martha, as sunflowers were her favorite. The simple granite block revealed its forever heart-breaking message:

 _Clark Joseph Kent_

 _June 18, 1980 - February 5, 2015_

A simple tombstone for an extraordinary life. Kyla felt it wasn't fair. Here sat a man who saved the entire world, and all he got was a hole in the ground, a small stone, and a wooden box. The worst part was, Clark had no idea something else was on the horizon. Something far more sinister than Lex Luthor, Doomsday, or rogue Kryptonians. Anger boiled within her. She was angry with herself. She was angry with the world. She was just angry. Safety was an illusion, and Clark died for it. He managed to save the world, yes, but for how long?

"Clark, I'm sorry." Tears streamed down her face. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you. I should've listened, but I chose to run away like the coward I am. It should be me lying in that box, not you." She bent down on one knee. "I'm done running, Clark. This planet has been my home for 35 years, and I intend to fight for it. You'd be proud. I actually reached out to your friends. We got this team together. A rag tag bunch. It's too bad you'll never get to know them."

Kyla ran her fingers over the blades of grass and closed her eyes. She took in the sound of the wind rustling through trees and the birds singing goodbye to the winter. A low hum buzzed across the plain, and Kyla could tell Spring was here. The pitter patter of rodent feet scurried in the stalks of corn and wheat. It hurt her heart that while death lie beneath her, life went on about its merry way around her.

As she prepared to take off, she focused her senses so they wouldn't overload her emotions, but the low hum she'd heard was still there. Kyla found it odd that sound would be present out in the middle of nowhere. No industrial warehouses or factories were located within hundreds of miles of the graveyard. She focused on just the hum, and it sounded like an electrical buzz from a transformer. Except, when she focused her hearing, she could actually feel it in her feet. The sound was lower than the capability of human ears could hear, but it was loud to her.

She turned her head in different directions, hoping to narrow down the source of the hum, but she could only get a fix on it from her location. An odd thought occurred to her, so she knelt down and placed her ear to the ground. The buzz intensified as she crawled across the ground. What would a stranger think if they caught her listening to the ground? How would she explain that away?

The loudest she heard it was directly over Clark's grave, and it gave her pause. What in the world was going on? Kyla was no geologist, but she didn't think the ground was supposed to hum and vibrate. The sound appeared to radiate from right below her, and her curiosity grew the longer she sat there. What was she supposed to do? Act like she didn't hear it? Dig down to find it? The questions swirling around in her head became as loud as the hum. Something was wrong.

She instantly regretted what she was about to do. Kyla pulled her arm back, closed her hand into a fist, and slammed it into the ground. The more she punched through the earth, the louder the hum got. Since the grave was still soft, it didn't take her long to reach the outside of Clark's casket.

When she cleared away the debris, she was not met with the surface of a pine box, but a greenish brown substance she couldn't define. It was solid like petrified wood, but when she touched it, the vibration tickled the end of her finger, and she felt the wave move up her arm. The object buried in the dirt seemed to pulsate.

A new buzzing sound erupted and startled Kyla. Her phone vibrated in her pocket signaling that somebody needed to talk. Their timing was impeccable. Very few people had her number, and she didn't recognize the number on the screen.

"Hello?" She blew dirt off her hands after she tucked the phone between her ear and shoulder.

"It's here." A man's gruff voice replied. She recognized it as Bruce Wayne's.

"What's here?" she asked.

"The planet. Are you underground?" The irritation in his voice was palpable. "You should be able to see it."

In her preoccupation with whatever lie beneath her, she hadn't noticed the object looming in the sky north of her. A dark, red orb sat against the blue sky, and it sent chills up her spine. The way Bruce had called the thing "it" cast a shadow of doom. Even though they'd prepared for this, she hadn't been truly ready.

"It's early, Bruce."

"Get here...now." The phone went dead.

Kyla didn't know what to do. Should she leave Clark's grave dug up and pray Martha or anybody else didn't find it that way? With the world nearly about to end and aliens hanging in the sky, she doubted somebody would make a pit stop at a graveyard.

"I'm sorry, Clark. I didn't mean to defile your grave like this, but I gotta run. Forgive me in the next life if I make it. I'll come back if I do."

Before she soared off, she took a long look at it and noticed that it wasn't an object. A corner piece of the pine casket peeked through the solid substance, and Kyla realized that whatever it was, it actually encased the casket. Did Kryptonian corpses disintegrate and become some kind of strange fossil? If they made it through this, she would come back and bury him again. She felt bad for leaving him undignified in the dirt.

As she zipped through the clouds towards the Wayne Estate, Kyla asked herself, how did it get here so fast? How had Bruce not seen it coming so quickly? It wasn't due for another week. Below her, emergency vehicles sped down streets, police tried to direct traffic heading the other direction, looters pillaged businesses, and onlookers stared up into the sky and pointed at the object. It amazed her that even in the face of extinction, mankind still let greed overcome them.

Bruce had thrown caution to the wind, because when Kyla approached the water entrance to the Batcave, it was already open. Anybody flying over would see it with no problem. Since it wasn't the time for secrecy, she wouldn't mention it to Wayne. She flew down into the hole in the lake, and she heard the rumble of an engine. The Batman was ready to go. He stood next to an iron table with weapons and other assorted artillery stretched across the surface. The rest of their merry band of heroes stood around it as well.

"Isn't this table supposed to be round?" she asked.

Wayne glared at her, and Kyla could tell he wasn't in the mood for jokes. Granted, he was never in the mood for jokes.

"You know, Dark Knight...round table?" She waved him off and grinned uncomfortably at the rest of the group. "Just because it's the end of the world, doesn't mean there still can't be a little humor."

Dismissing her, Wayne gave out instructions, "We need to surround this thing as quickly as possible. They've already proven to move quicker than we anticipated, so that means we have to anticipate everything now. The chatter I picked up from my satellite is very loud. They're on the move and organizing." He pointed at The Flash. "Barry, you need to circle the ground. Get people to safety that are in immediate harm. Also, if any of those things touch ground, you can deal with them, too. Diana, you're with me. We'll also be taking out any of those aliens as soon as they touch the ground. Arthur, I'm sorry, but you have the entire Atlantic Ocean to deal with. Victor, you will be trying to make your way into any mainframe you can hack and acting as anti-aircraft support. Hopefully you can get a head start on anything shooting at us from the sky."

Wayne turned to her, and his face was intense with a seriousness she'd never seen, "Kyla, you're the only one who can reach them first. You have to make it to their base of operations and relay back what kind of forces we're dealing with...what kind of army they have. In the meantime, take out as many as you can on the way in. I'm not going to lie, but it will be nasty up there. You'll be by yourself, but I know you can do this. You're every bit as strong as Clark was."

His comment inspired her and broke her heart at the same time. Any deflecting humor she wanted to project was gone. Faces of her fellow heroes stared back at her, and she wanted to crawl into a hole. Never in her life had she faced such pressure, but for a man who'd only known her for two months showed enough faith in her to do the biggest job of them all. She wasn't as strong as Clark...physically or emotionally. He had great parents to help build his character. Her character was about to be defined, and Kyla didn't want to be remembered for being a coward. She wouldn't forget her debt to Clark, and running away from a fight was no way to honor the House of El.

"We got this," she said.

Diana gripped her shoulder, and Kyla could feel the woman's strength in her fingers. She beamed with pride knowing she'd get to fight alongside a bonafide warrior. The Flash stretched out his hand, face down over the middle of the table.

"Go team?" he said, grinning from ear to ear.

Everyone else chuffed and walked away.

"Aw, come on. Where's the team spirit?" Barry cried.

Kyla was grateful for Allen's light personality. It kept Batman's gloom and doom cloud from drenching her in despair. While snark and sarcasm came easy to her, she envied Allen's positivity especially in the face of destruction.

"Get dressed, Kyla, and let's go," Batman growled.

Confused, she looked down at her clothes and discovered she was indeed not naked. She looked for wardrobe malfunctions, but her duds were in perfect working order.

"But I am-" she rebuttled, but Diana cut her off.

"We are all wearing the symbols of our strength. Bruce, with the cowl and cape, my armor, Flash's suit. He's not talking about your clothes. He's talking about your uniform."

"My uniform?" Kyla asked.

Then she remembered. After revealing herself to Bruce Wayne and company, he'd been gracious enough to let her stay in the Wayne Glass House. Tucked away on a shelf in her closet was the suit Clark had gotten for her. He must've seen it one day as he snooped through her room. She could hardly blame him. She was a stranger in his house with powers similar to the man he once tried to kill. Who wouldn't be paranoid?

"Yes, you aren't Clark. Nobody is Clark other than Clark. You are you. Don't sell yourself short. We need you. Clark would be very proud of you. That symbol he wore meant more than just your family crest. The people of this planet need to know there is hope, or we fight for nothing."

There was nothing Kyla could say to that. Diana was absolutely right. With no protests or rebuttals, she went back to her room and pulled the suit out of its hiding place. She hadn't looked at it since the day she opened it, and a tinge of pain poked at her heart when she laid it across the bed. Clark had put some real thought and time into this gift, and she'd stored it away like a shameful secret. She wasn't ashamed of her history, though. She'd been ashamed of how she'd acted.

Today, while under the direst of circumstances had to be Kyla's rebirth. She had to become a new creature and forget all the lies and fears that she held onto. They were no longer relevant. Going forward, she would create a new life, new reasons to fight.

The black suit fit tightly against her body, but it was perfect. The silver shield emblazoned across her chest reflected light onto her face, and a sense pride warmed her from within. She was surprised that simply wearing the uniform would give her such a feeling of power. Not the power to rule or dominate, but the power to overcome...to not be squished like an ant. The black cape gave her a feeling of regality. It was a real confidence booster, and confidence was something she'd lacked for a long time.

Kyla took a deep breath and walked into the Batcave where everyone turned and looked at her. Barry Allen's eyes widened with awe, and a huge smile followed. Arthur Curry's face stayed stoic as usual. Victor and Diana grinned, but their faces quickly returned to the seriousness at hand. As she looked at Bruce Wayne, she could've sworn the left edge of his mouth turned up with a twitch into what might've been the first smile Kyla had ever seen him give. Although it was short lived, she embraced it.

"I saw that." She pointed at Bruce.

"You saw nothing," he said before hopping into the driver's seat of the Batmobile.

"Don't worry. I saw it, too," Diana whispered before disappearing into the passenger seat.

Everyone followed their directives and exited the Batcave to make their way to their assigned positions. Kyla's stomach turned with nervous dread. There was a lot riding on their shoulders. She felt like she carried the entire earth on hers alone.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

As Kyla watched everyone disperse across the globe, the feeling of loneliness tried to rear its ugly head, but she never felt more part of a team than she did now. She soared up into the clouds toward the big red planet and glared. This would not be her final day on earth, and if it was, it wouldn't be earth's final day. She'd known two homes, but she felt more human than Kryptonian. She would fight to the end to protect mankind, even if it meant her death.

When she reached five miles from the surface, Kyla noticed a dark cloud moving at a fast rate in her direction. She used her supervision to get a better look and noticed it wasn't a cloud at all. It was a swarm. Flying insect-like beings flew with purpose straight toward earth. Humanoid in shape with red glowing eyes, their mouths resembled that of something out of a vampire movie. Long, razor sharp teeth flashed in the sunlight as they roared with their battle cry.

"Uh, Bru-er, Batman. I have visual. I don't know how to explain it, but they look like the flying monkeys from Wizard of Oz...except they're not monkeys, more like demons on steroids with wings. There's thousands of them, and they're heading straight down. Should I try to intercept?"

Batman's voice sounded off in her ear, "No. We need you on that planet. We'll handle them."

It was hard to resist the urge to open up her heat vision and fry all of the flying demons as they soared downward. It would attract a lot of attention, and the survivors would overcome her in a second. She continued up through the atmosphere and relayed everything she took in.

As the planet neared closer, she saw fire rising from pits surrounded by iron industrial buildings, unlike any city she'd ever seen before. Thousands of the winged figures stood on rooftops, in the streets, and hovered in the air as they listened to someone speak in the midst of the chaos. She recognized the voice from the recording Batman played for them.

The crowd chanted and buzzed every time the speaker paused. Kyla wished she could understand their language but listening to his vocal inflections didn't need an interpreter. The energy in his dark, raspy voice permeated the air as he shouted every word. She flew in just close enough to not be seen and watched the alien pep rally unfold.

Her supervision revealed an armored figure standing upon an altar shaped like a pyramid. His helmet bore a bladed horn on each side, and his chestplate was covered in an ornate, spiny design. Massive muscular arms expanded from each side of his torso, and Kyla realized he was big. Bigger than any human she'd ever seen...possibly a giant. Up close, the winged demons were larger than she realized as well. They stood a foot shorter than their leader but two feet taller than her.

The unease she'd felt since their arrival exploded into full blown anxiety. Earth was in trouble. The society outstretched below her was far more advanced than humankind and probably larger in size. The group standing directly at the feet of the speaker were armed with metal staffs that resembled something straight out of a fantasy movie. Strapped to their chests were items that looked like guns while daggers were strapped to their thighs. The speaker pointed to them, barked an order, and they took off toward earth.

"Guys, you got a mess coming your way. Some really big baddies. They're armed to the hilt." Her voice projected the words louder than she'd wanted. The adrenaline had taken over her vocal chords, and she'd practically yelled into her earpiece. A few faces in the crowd turned and looked her in direction. "Uh oh. I think I've been made."

Kyla could've kicked herself. She'd given away her position and enlightened everyone of her presence. The giant in the horned helmet pointed at her, shouted with ire, and the horde flew after her. Knowing that she was a goner if she stayed, she zipped away toward earth's surface.

The screeching of the winged demons scratched at her eardrums, and she aimed a few heat vision stares at them when she looked over her shoulder. Some disintegrated while some managed to dodge the oncoming heat darts.

"They're coming," she shouted as she hoped they could hear her over the wind roaring into her earpiece.

Spread across the sky, the creatures dove down. Some fired their weapons at the humans on the ground. She saw explosions erupt from the surface, and her heart sunk. How many people would die before the day was over?

Kyla felt the strong grasp of a hand around her ankle, then one around her bicep, and before she could react, she was overrun with demons. Four had seized her in midair and tried to subdue her. The fury she'd buried in her heart replaced the fear she'd held onto, and Kyla screamed with indignation as she ripped the demons from her body. Her heat vision tore through the one holding her ankle. Its body tumbled to the earth below. With every bit of strength she had, she slammed together the two that held her arms. A loud crack, and their skulls caved in as they made impact with each other. Kyla reached behind her and grabbed the one with his arm around her neck and flung him to the face of the earth. His body landed with a deep thud, and he didn't move.

Her eyes burned with madness, and she used her heat vision on as many as she could. Winged bodies fell or burned into ash as the lasers from her eyes flashed across the sky. Kyla sucked in as much air as she could and blew the demons out of the air. They didn't stop coming, and endless amounts of demons soared past or attacked her head on.

In her earpiece she could hear the shouts of the individual team members as they took on the ground units. The loss of control was imminent. Kyla withdrew from her sky battle and headed toward to the ground to help. Her punches connected, and demons fell. The militaries of the world shot cannons, rockets, and any firepower they had toward the skies above them, and the expanse was filled with smoke and fire. Armageddon was here.

Death rained all around her. The demon hordes flocked to humankind and ripped them apart and slaughtered them without prejudice. Dead bodies littered the streets, both human and demonkind. Blood flowed like a slow river down the drains. If they survived this day, the relief and cleanup effort would last for years. What would the human race look like after this? Could they come back from such decimation?

"I can't hold them back, guys. There's just too many. As soon as I get rid of a hundred, three hundred more show up. I'm running out of juice fast," Barry said.

"I'm in the same boat, Flash," Cyborg replied.

Hearing the sound of defeat in her teammates' voices allowed the doors of doubt to creak open in her mind. If they couldn't last much longer, then they were all doomed.

"We cannot give up." Batman panted into the earpiece. "We do this till we're dead or till they're dead, but we do not stop."

Kyla hoped one day she could be the leader that Bruce was. His determination and unfaltering attitude was a real testament to the Wayne legacy. She had no legacy. Anything she left behind would be straight from her blood.

She continued her rage upon the demon race and took out as many as she could, as quickly as she could. Never in her life had she felt tired, so when her muscles sang the song of fatigue, she dug in harder. The yellow sun that gave her power sat on the horizon of the west as it made its daily adieu. When it disappeared, she wouldn't get that recharge she needed to finish the job. Whatever they had to do, they had to do it quickly.

A scream of agonizing pain shrilled through the earpiece, and Kyla recognized Diana's voice, "I...can't...hold...them...off." She could hear the creature yelling at her in their foreign tongue. Diana put up a fight, but after a buzz of static, her end went silent.

"Diana?" Kyla whispered. There was no response. She called out to her again, but only silence met her.

"She's gone. Keep moving." The deep tone of Arthur Curry's voice grunted in her ear. He'd remained quiet since the war started, and Kyla had forgotten he was there.  
"But, I can-"

"Shut up and keep going. She's gone. There's nothing you can do for her," he grunted again.

Kyla couldn't resolve it in her mind to leave the Amazon. She was part of the team. Diana was her friend.

"He's right. More may fall," Bruce echoed.

More anger bubbled up from her stomach. If she'd had the power, she might have torn the earth in two. She flew into groups of the demons and used whatever tool she had to obliterate them. As she pummeled one after the other, she heard the familiar voice of their leader draw closer. When she got a moment, she glanced up into the clouds and saw him approaching atop a flying vehicle that resembled a modified jet ski-motorcycle mix. In one hand he held a large axe unlike anything she'd ever seen. It glowed with an electrical radiance.

The grunts, gasps, and sounds of retreat bounced off the canals of her ear, and Kyla could tell the end was near. Her team was losing. She wouldn't give up, though. She would be like her brother and give everything she had left till her body was just a limp mass. Demons circled and pounced on her all at once. She slung them off in every direction, taking out interlopers and other creatures riding atop demonic dogs.

In the distance, Kyla could see the top of the sun just above the edge of the horizon. Fear danced around in her stomach, and she clenched her abs to drown it. The armored figure hovered over her, and as she was about to attack, a huge swarm of demons tackled her and pinned her down.

This pleased their leader, as a wide smile stretched across this face. He stepped down from his flying contraption like a king stepping down from his throne. Kyla's energy was nearly spent, but she tried her best to wrestle from the creatures' grasps. She failed to get free. The figure loomed over her and glared down at her.

"You have fought valiantly for this wretched species, but why? You are not human. These are not your people," he said. His voice was so deep, that it reverberated in the ground below her. "These are my people." He outstretched the arm with the axe to point at the demons holding her down. "I am Steppenwolf. General of Apokolips."

Kyla glared at him with burning disgust, "You will pay for what you've done."

"You are Kryptonian. Your species was once great with brilliant scientific minds and expanding technology. Now, you fight for an inferior race of insects." He chuckled. "No matter. You and your costumed comrades will be dispatched along with the human race."

Multiple groups of demons appeared to her right, and what they carried made her heart sink. Slumped over one of the creature's shoulders was Bruce. She hoped he wasn't dead. Prayed for it. He was followed by Barry and Arthur. Both were bound in shackles and chains, and their uniforms were tattered from battle. Two flying demons landed in front of her and tossed Diana to dirt. She was bloodied and bound by her own lasso, and a creature yanked on a chain fastened to a collar around her neck. Diana's head turned, and she winced with pain. Kyla sighed with relief as the thought of Diana being dead was not an option anymore...not yet.

"Your...friends...are weak. They were no match for my armies. Although, this is not surprising to me. The human species is a despicable race. They fight with each other, and betray each other." Steppenwolf bent and lowered his face to meet Kyla's. "In fact, I am here because one of your beloved pets betrayed mankind to me. Apparently, there was another Kryptonian who gave his life for these filthy animals."

He took Kyla's chin in his hand. She was surprised by his strength.

"Are you prepared to share the same fate as he? Your playmates will. I will even let you watch as I drain the blood from their lifeless corpses. Their soft, weak flesh shall accept my blade."

The axe appeared at the corner of her eye. Here was her chance to end it before she lost the ability to end it at all.

"But before I take their lives, your little Judas presented me with quite a gift."

Kyla's eyes burned as she prepared to glare right through Steppenwolf's eyes, and hoped she would see the fading sunset on the other side of his skull. A bright flash of pain exploded from her shoulder, and she cried out in agony. Searing, hot pain flooded the cells of her body, and she glanced down to see the handle of a dagger sticking through her suit. Attached to the handle glowed a bright green blade, and her blood cascaded down around it.

"I find it pure poetic justice that you fight for a home that is not yours, and material from your planet brings about your undoing."

Steppenwolf's smile grew larger as Kyla's gasps grew louder. Poison laced with fire seeped into her body, and her lungs yearned for air beyond the fumes caused by the Kryptonite buried in her skin.

"Why...do you do this?" she asked through exacerbated breaths.

The Demon Leader stood and closed his eyes with a defiant look upon his face.

"Because with me, I bring the new god of this world...Lord Darkseid."

Kyla had been so preoccupied with the agony that raged havoc on her body that she had not seen the giant figure appear behind Steppenwolf. The armored general stood aside, and the goliath stepped forward. His presence left her in awe, and for a split second she forgot her pain. The giant stood almost nine feet above her as he glared down at her with eyes made of fire. His skin, like gray stone, was covered by a smooth blue and black armor.

A thundering voice spoke but not with vocal chords. It discharged through her head, and she couldn't fight it.

"I have come to take your free will and your life."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The violation of her mind added more stress along with the pain in her chest. Not only was Kyla about to die, it would be long and drawn out. She would watch her friends suffer while she sat paralyzed just a few feet away. The knife throbbed with each heartbeat. She tried to pull it free, but she didn't have enough strength to raise her arm.

"You are pathetic," Darkseid growled. "To think that a Kryptonian would lower themselves to the level of this weak minded species." He bent down and picked Batman up by the throat. Bruce's head flopped to the side. "Mankind is one of the keys to the Anti-Life Equation. They are just too simple to realize it. When I have stripped this world of its free will, my kingdom will be the largest in the universe." Darkseid chuckled and tossed Bruce's limp body to the ground.

"Stop," Kyla rasped as blood spurted from her mouth. "Take me instead."

"Nobility is long lost on this race. Do not offer yourself up for something inferior. While mankind is idiotic, I am not." He placed his heavy boot on her chest and pressed into her ribcage. Pain radiated throughout her body, and she screamed in anguish. "Besides, you cannot offer me something that already belongs to me. Your life is forfeit."

He removed his boot and stepped back to take in the chaos around them. Through tears of torment, Kyla could see a subtle grin of pleasure on his face. Darkseid's eyes burned bright like that of a hundred suns as he scowled down at her.

"Just like the Kryptonian who died before you, your body will rot in the ground as your failure will permeate the dust from my destruction."

Darkness cast a vignette shadow around her vision, and Kyla knew she was at death's door. Why hadn't Kyla been as strong as Clark? She was a failure and didn't deserve to wear the suit she would die in.

The whiteness of Darkseid's teeth gleamed as a brilliant fire flashed from his eyes, and Kyla tried to raise her hand to shield herself from the mighty blast. As she closed her eyes for the last time, she saw a figure cloaked in black slam into the ground between her and Darkseid. Before she succumbed to the darkness, she felt the ground below her vibrate followed by a thunderous explosion...and the silence took her.

Kyla opened her eyes and felt the rays of a red sun blanketing her in warmth. The mountainous landscape sat quietly under the scarlet orb, and a breeze ruffled her hair. A female's voice broke the tranquility, and Kyla turned to see the radiant smile of her mother.

"You see that constellation, Kyla? That one is named after one of the original Krypton ancestors. Apodemus. He was a teacher, a scholar." She pointed to another grouping of stars. "That one is Crocuta Australis. Named after a fierce warrior. You can find so much history up in the stars, my dear. When you get older, you will learn them all."

Kyla blinked, and the console of a ship's interface stared back at her with flashing lights and blaring alarms. She peered out the porthole and saw stars, the darkness of space, comets, all zipping by her in streaks of every color imaginable.

An enormous marble-like orb appeared in front of her ship with azure waters and emerald lands. It welcomed her into a field covered in a white, cold blanket. The fresh, crisp air met her nostrils, but then fear gripped her. She looked down and saw droplets of a clear liquid splash against her hands. Tears flowed down her face as she stared out onto the alien land.

A man's voice shook her from the fright-filled state. Kyla now sat on a bed staring up at bald man wearing jeans and no shirt. He shook his fist in her face.

"You worthless brat. Why can't you do anything right? You're nothing but a freak."

She tried to run out the door, but a woman blocked her path. Her brows were furrowed in disgust.

"And where do you think you're going? You're my meal ticket, and I'm yours. If you walk out that door, you'll starve and die. My house, my rules."

Kyla ran. Back alleyways, trash-laden streets, and wet doorsteps each played house for her. Shouts and cries from other homeless destitutes haunted her dreams at night. Seeing through walls into homes where families ate together and hearing sounds of laughter and joy as kids played in their rooms infested her heart. Bitterness and solitude were her only friends.

She looked up into the sky and let the yellow sun beat down on her face. Suddenly, a blue blur streaked across the sky. Curiosity bested her, and she followed it to an empty alleyway. Down at the end, she saw a dark haired man clothed in blue while donning a red cape and boots. He turned to her and smiled. Kyla opened her mouth to speak to him, but a man appeared to her right.

"Kyla."

She didn't recognize him, but she felt like she knew him. His brown hair rested just above his shoulders, and his clothing was out of place. Atop his shoulders were grayish armor-plated pads. Below them, a rich brown robe flowed to the ground. In the center of his chest was a familiar symbol. One that stood for hope.

"I know you," she said. Her voice sounded strange as it emitted from her lips. It bounced off the breeze and floated off into the sky.

A gentle grin formed on his face, "No, my child. You do not. We have never met."

Kyla frowned. She didn't know how she knew him, but she did nonetheless.

"You have traveled many distances from your home. I am sorry that I could not be with you. However, I am very grateful you met my son. I am-"

"Jor-El," she interrupted. "You are my father."

His smile never wavered as he spoke, "Yes...I am, indeed."

"Am I...dead? This place, it feels strange."

"Listen to me, Kyla. You have come so far and learned so much. More than I or your mother could have taught you. I am so very proud to call you my daughter. Kal-El is lucky to have you as his sister. My only regret is that we could not be there for you and Kal."

He placed his hand on her shoulder, and she felt herself falling backward. The world tumbled, and her head felt like it was about to float off. Expecting to hit the ground hard, she braced for the fall, but she found herself staring up into the clouds. Jor-El knelt next to her and placed his hand on her chest.

"This will hurt," he said as the grin disappeared from his face.

Lightning hot pain spread across her chest, and she looked up at him feeling betrayed. Why would a father hurt his daughter? She tried to speak, but her words were lost. The pain squeezed her eyes shut, and silent screams parted her lips.

The pain suddenly abated, and her eyes flung open. Kyla was staring into the war-torn, bloodied and beaten face of Bruce Wayne. Part of his cowl was ripped which revealed the left side of his face. She blinked, but he didn't disappear. A look of worry filled his eyes. In his hand, he held a knife. The green blade had a fading glow with blood splashed along its edge. Then it all came rushing back to her.

Kyla sat up and saw Steppenwolf gaping at the scene playing out before them. She must've been out only for a few seconds, but it felt like decades.

"Get up." Bruce's voice was strained with exhaustion.

At Steppenwolf's feet, she saw the glowing axe he held when he stepped off of his hover-vehicle. He must've dropped it when the explosion happened right before she fell unconscious. Steppenwolf turned on his heels with rage in his eyes and headed straight for Wonder Woman. Diana was still bound by the lasso. The creature holding her captive yanked the chain attached to her neck which forced her onto her back. Steppenwolf unsheathed a short sword attached at his waist and raised it above his head.

Kyla could feel the life force pouring back into her now that the Kryptonite blade had been removed. She jumped up, snatched the axe from the ground, and soared after Steppenwolf.

"Die, you insolent worm," Steppenwolf hissed.

The tip of the axe tore through the front of his breastplate as Kyla rammed it through his spine. He gasped for air, and Kyla heard the gurgle of blood. Before she could withdraw the weapon, Kyla was jolted from an electric shock, and the energy from the blade sent her flying backwards into a burning building. She was still weak from her injury, but the shock rattled her back into darkness. Every muscle in her body constricted, and the pain was unbearable. Before she fell unconscious, she saw the body of Steppenwolf take its last breath.

There was no Jor-El this time. Only black. Surely she was dead now. Was this the afterlife? In the distance, she heard a voice, but Kyla couldn't understand what it said. It sounded like it was galaxies away. She tried to say, "I'm here," but her voice was nowhere to be found.

Each growing second, the voice came closer, but she couldn't make it out. It was a man's voice. Was it Jor-El? Bruce? Again, she tried to call out to the voice but failed to produce a whisper.

 _Kyla._

She reached out into the darkness.

 _Kyla._

The voice was louder now.

 _I'm here,_ she wanted to scream. _Don't go away!_

 _Kyla._

There was a sense of familiarity in the voice, but she couldn't put her finger on it. As the voice grew louder, a light shined in the distance. Was this the tunnel of light you were supposed to run away from?

 _Kyla._

The light grew brighter, but a foggy haze wafted around it. She could see undefined shapes in the background.

 _Kyla._

This time it was a whisper in her ear. The hazy cloud cleared, and the light revealed a man staring down at her. He had dark straggly hair, and a beard maybe two weeks from full growth. His eyes were as blue as the ocean. She didn't recognize his face, but she knew his eyes. The cobwebs in her mind fell away, and she noticed he wore a black suit...like hers. Confusement made her brain hurt. She moved her eyes up and saw the House of El shield emblazoned across his chest.

She peered into his eyes again, and he smiled.

"Clark?" Kyla asked.

"Hi."

She shot up from the bed and threw her arms around him.

"Clark," she yelped. "I don't understand."

He chuckled and gently pushed her back down onto the bed.

"Take it easy, Ky. You just got put through the ringer. Your injury is almost healed."

Kyla reached up and touched his face. He was real.

"The beard doesn't suit you," she whispered.

Clark Kent laughed. He was definitely real.

"Speaking of suit, it looks good on you. I'm glad you wore it," he said.

"Forget the suit. How are you alive?" she asked.

He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.

"Honestly, I think it was my father's last parting gift to me. Before Jor-El sent me to earth, he took The Codex and infused it with my DNA. My guess is, the oldest and purest Kryptonian cells repaired me...kind of, jumpstarted me. I woke up in a small cemetery, and to my shock, I have the same suit on that you do. It changed me. Made me...better. Although, I'm not really digging the black suit. I can't wait to get back to old faithful red and blue."

Kyla found her smile, "You know, I'm not digging the black either. How about a blue suit for me, too."

Clark's smile grew wider.

"See, I told you. It's in our blood." He winked at her.

She slapped him on the knee, "It's good to have you back, Clark."

The man the world called Superman leaned forward and patted her arm. Remembering the war, she shot up from the bed again. "Wait. What happened? Steppenwolf? Darkseid?"

"It's ok." He grasped her shoulder, and her anxiety dissipated. "Steppenwolf is dead, and Darkseid is gone. When he realized he was outnumbered, he tucked tail and ran. The demons, their planet, and their leader are all gone."

She raised an eyebrow, "Outnumbered?"

Clark stood and walked toward the door. His black cape billowed with regality. As he turned the knob, he looked over his shoulder at her.

"I think there's something you need to see, that is, if you feel up to it."

Despite feeling like death, she needed to know what happened in those moments before she passed out. Were her friends dead? She struggled to get up, but her determination fed her strength. Clark led her outside of the Wayne Estate and carried her up into the clouds. Kyla could see the smoke from the destruction rising in the distance.

When they reached the edge of the city, Kyla could see people wandering about fixing things, cleaning up debris, and putting out fires. They touched down in the heart of the destruction, and Kyla noticed that some of the people were flying or dressed in costume. She looked quizzically at Clark.

One of them, a black man dressed in a green and black suit, hovered up to them. He had a crew cut hair style and glowing emerald eyes. Clark didn't seem threatened, but Kyla kept her guard up.

"Superman, it's nice to see you...alive. I am John Stewart, Green Lantern for Space Sector 2814. Is your friend ok?"

He touched the surface and offered his hand to Clark who shook it in return.

"I'm fine. Thanks for asking. What's a Green Lantern?" Kyla chuffed.

"We are guardians of the universe. Assigned to different sectors. Earth is mine."

"Are you an alien like me and Cla-er, Kal-El?"

"Oh no. I'm from Detroit," he laughed. "You are?"

Kyla wasn't sure if she should tell him her name. Clark always emphasized anonymity and blending in. She looked at Clark, hoping he'd bail her out.  
"Ky-"

"Supergirl," Clark interjected.

Kyla shot him a dirty look.

"Supergirl?" she mumbled under her breath.

"Nice to meet you, Supergirl. I'm glad you are up and about. You took quite a beating." He shook her hand as well. "Right now we're trying to clean up the mess as fast as we can." Two of the costumed helpers stopped and joined their conversation. A tall, muscular blond man in a green outfit with a hood and eye-mask just smiled and waved. A bow and quiver full of arrows were strapped to his back. A woman with wings like a hawk fluttered down next to Kyla. She wore a helmet that only revealed her dark eyes and slender mouth. A mace dangled from her waist.

"This is Green Arrow and Hawkgirl. I met them only a few hours ago, and they're dedicated to the cause of cleaning up the eastern seaboard. There are others, but I'm sure we will all meet in due time."

The Green Lantern bid them farewell and returned to his duties. Kyla felt an arm drape around her shoulders, and she found Barry Allen's face beaming back at her.

"I see you met part of the new crew," Barry said.

Batman stood next to him wearing a new cowl, but it didn't fully cover the bruising. He nodded, and Kyla nodded back.

"It was so cool seeing these guys come out of the woodwork. Big Guy here was busy taking on Darkseid, and these other...heroes...came swarming from the city and the sky. Those Apokoliptians had no idea what to do. All of a sudden, these tunnels of lights opened everywhere, and they escaped through them. Supes put a good beatdown on Darkseid before he got away. It's ok, though. We'll be ready when they come back."

Barry's voice was full of glee and wonderment. Kyla envied his optimism. Despite looking death in the face, The Flash smiled through it all. She hoped this wouldn't be the last time they all came together.

"I got a name for our club, too." His smile was infectious.

"Don't say it, Allen," Bruce mumbled.

"The Justice League." Barry waved his hand across the sky. "We're gonna have our own clubhouse, too. Bruce is in the middle of putting plans together to get it built."

Kyla heard a sighing hiss escape from Bruce's lips, and he turned and walked away.

"Oh, was I not supposed to say anything yet, Bats? My bad." Barry winked at her. "I'm glad you're feeling better. Anyway, I'm off. Got hero stuff to do and such."

He whizzed away, and Kyla's hair blew in her face.

"Well, since you're up and about, let's go help." Clark leaned his head back and rocketed into the clouds.

Kyla ascended after him.

"Wait, Clark. We still have to talk about this Supergirl stuff."

THE END


End file.
